← 28 Aug Tuesday 29 August 2023 · to 23:59 UTC 30 Aug →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
22,196 stories about harm· Trends· Every past day

We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.

How to read these numbers →

Most of the day's attention went to violence in Baghdad and Amhara and the earthquake in Indonesia. Iraq's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 30 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostCuba 62 in 100 of its 79 stories, usually 29
RegionCentral Asia 21 in 100 of its stories, usually 16
Tone of the words Much softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

68 of its 119 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Baghdad accounted for 39 of Iraq's 68 stories about harm, carried by 54 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (29 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Baghdad stories →
Rights & justice

Ethiopia

53 of its 101 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Amhara accounted for 32 of Ethiopia's 53 stories about harm, carried by 61 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (39 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Ethiopia over 30 days → its stories → Amhara stories →
Disasters & accidents

Indonesia

96 of its 282 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (5 stories). Earthquake was named in 61 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with tsunami and volcanic eruption. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Indonesia over 30 days → its stories →
Protests & strikes

Haiti

37 of its 53 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. 15 of Port-au-Prince's 18 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Haiti over 30 days → its stories → Port-au-Prince stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

116 of its 189 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Kabul accounted for 69 of Afghanistan's 116 stories about harm, carried by 72 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Sudan

Khartoum accounted for 41 of Sudan's 83 stories about harm, carried by 81 outlets. 21 of Khartoum's 41 stories were about protests or strikes. Train derailment was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Cuba

49 of its 79 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (13 stories). Hurricane was named in 35 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with flooding and heavy rain.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Mali

36 of its 46 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Plane crash was named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Venezuela

19 of its 55 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. 3 of Caracas' 5 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (9 stories).

its stories →
Health

Australia

708 of its 3,206 stories (22%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories). Respiratory illness was named in 20 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hurricane in Cuba (35 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hepatitis in Vietnam (46 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Italy (18 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); plane crash in Mali (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); train derailment in Sudan (11 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 20 the day before
20 in 10018 in 10031 Jul7 Aug14 Aug21 Aug29 Aug31 Jul: 18 in 1001 Aug: 19 in 1002 Aug: 18 in 1003 Aug: 18 in 1004 Aug: 18 in 1005 Aug: 19 in 1006 Aug: 20 in 1007 Aug: 19 in 1008 Aug: 19 in 1009 Aug: 18 in 10010 Aug: 19 in 10011 Aug: 19 in 10012 Aug: 20 in 10013 Aug: 20 in 10014 Aug: 19 in 10015 Aug: 19 in 10016 Aug: 18 in 10017 Aug: 19 in 10018 Aug: 19 in 10019 Aug: 20 in 10020 Aug: 20 in 10021 Aug: 19 in 10022 Aug: 19 in 10023 Aug: 18 in 10024 Aug: 19 in 10025 Aug: 19 in 10026 Aug: 19 in 10027 Aug: 20 in 10028 Aug: 20 in 10029 Aug: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 29 Aug. The big dot is this day; the shaded band is a normal day (the 30 days before it). Click a day to open it. Based on 22,196 stories about harm among 111,339 counted on 29 Aug.

Read the day's briefing

Stories about people being harmed made up 20 in every 100 of the day's 111,339 stories, as usual. A year earlier, on 29 August 2022, 20 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, the same as today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Haiti70 in 100 of its 53 stories · usually 53 · mostly rights & justice Sudan70 in 100 of its 119 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence Cuba62 in 100 of its 79 stories · usually 29 · mostly disasters & accidents Afghanistan61 in 100 of its 189 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq57 in 100 of its 119 stories · usually 40 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US146 stories about protests or strikes, of its 779 London UK43 stories about protests or strikes, of its 300 Hollywood US40 stories about protests or strikes, of its 212 Kremlin Russia38 stories about protests or strikes, of its 248 Islamabad Pakistan36 stories about protests or strikes, of its 92

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: about as warm as its own usual or lessZambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessYemen: about as warm as its own usual or lessVietnam: about as warm as its own usual or lessVenezuela: about as warm as its own usual or lessVanuatu: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto Rico: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited States: too little coverage to readSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: too little coverage to readFalkland Islands: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: too little coverage to readIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited Kingdom: about as warm as its own usual or lessUkraine: about as warm as its own usual or lessUganda: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkmenistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkey: about as warm as its own usual or lessTrinidad & Tobago: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSri Lanka: about as warm as its own usual or lessSpain: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Africa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomalia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: too little coverage to readSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: about as warm as its own usual or lessSaudi Arabia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: about as warm as its own usual or lessRussia: about as warm as its own usual or lessRomania: about as warm as its own usual or lessQatar: about as warm as its own usual or lessPortugal: about as warm as its own usual or lessPoland: about as warm as its own usual or lessPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: too little coverage to readPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: too little coverage to readNorway: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Korea: about as warm as its own usual or lessNigeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiger: about as warm as its own usual or lessNicaragua: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew Zealand: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: about as warm as its own usual or lessNamibia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMozambique: about as warm as its own usual or lessMorocco: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: about as warm as its own usual or lessMali: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalaysia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalawi: about as warm as its own usual or lessMadagascar: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: too little coverage to readLibya: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiberia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLesotho: about as warm as its own usual or lessLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: about as warm as its own usual or lessKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKenya: about as warm as its own usual or lessKazakhstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJordan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJapan: too little coverage to readJamaica: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsrael: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalestine: about as warm as its own usual or lessIreland: about as warm as its own usual or lessIraq: about as warm as its own usual or lessIran: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndonesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndia: about as warm as its own usual or lessHungary: about as warm as its own usual or lessHonduras: about as warm as its own usual or lessHaiti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreece: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGermany: about as warm as its own usual or lessGeorgia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrance: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFiji: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: about as warm as its own usual or lessEgypt: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessDenmark: about as warm as its own usual or lessCzech Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: too little coverage to readCroatia: too little coverage to readCôte d'Ivoire: too little coverage to readCosta Rica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR Congo: about as warm as its own usual or lessCongo: about as warm as its own usual or lessComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: about as warm as its own usual or lessHong Kong: about as warm as its own usual or lessChile: about as warm as its own usual or lessChad: about as warm as its own usual or lessCentral African Republic: too little coverage to readCape Verde: about as warm as its own usual or lessCanada: about as warm as its own usual or lessCameroon: about as warm as its own usual or lessCambodia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMyanmar: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurundi: too little coverage to readBurkina Faso: too little coverage to readBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: about as warm as its own usual or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: about as warm as its own usual or lessBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelarus: about as warm as its own usual or lessBarbados: about as warm as its own usual or lessBangladesh: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahrain: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahamas: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzerbaijan: about as warm as its own usual or lessAustria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAustralia: too little coverage to readHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArmenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessArgentina: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlbania: about as warm as its own usual or lessAfghanistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJammu & Kashmir: about as warm as its own usual or lessGaza: about as warm as its own usual or lessWest Bank: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSiachen Glacier: about as warm as its own usual or lessCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: too little coverage to readAmerican Samoa: too little coverage to readChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: too little coverage to readBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: too little coverage to readSt. Barthélemy: too little coverage to readMacao: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about its own usualTunisia: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPhilippines: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIceland: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualDubai, United Arab Emirates -- health: 16 stories, carried by 14 outletsAccra, Ghana -- rights & justice: 23 stories, carried by 14 outletsVermont, US -- health: 15 stories, carried by 10 outletsEdun, Nigeria -- food & livelihood: 31 stories, carried by 19 outletsIowa, US -- health: 21 stories, carried by 25 outletsAdelaide, Australia -- rights & justice: 14 stories, carried by 12 outletsSouth Yorkshire, UK -- health: 15 stories, carried by 12 outletsCalgary, Canada -- health: 19 stories, carried by 32 outlets
Warmer than its own usual The warmest eventsAbout as warm or lessToo little news

Each country shaded by the warmth in its news — care, help, gratitude — against its own last 30 days. Stronger colour: further above. Dots: the events whose coverage carried the most warmth, even where the event itself began as harm. Warm words, not good outcomes. Click a country or a dot.

Warmest news

● South Korea warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Dubai United Arab Emirates about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 16 stories ● Accra Ghana about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 23 stories ● Vermont US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Edun Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · food & livelihood · 31 stories ● Iowa US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 21 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health30% 6,505 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents23% 5,108 stories · about as usual Rights & justice23% 4,949 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence9% 2,037 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 938 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 894 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood4% 871 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 490 stories · about as usual

Of the stories about people being harmed, what part of life each was about. The mark is usual.

Harm reported 30 days →

Stories reporting people killed4,953 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,328 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,135 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured995 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting evacuations505 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced226 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees208 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions184 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill14 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK

Stories that report it, not people: we count what reporters wrote, not what happened.

How it felt 30 days →

harshwarm

The words in the day's stories were much softer than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout as usual
● Fearabout as usual

From the words reporters used across the whole day, never one story. Fear is the weakest of the four measures. How?

The weekly briefing · 19 Oct – 25 Oct

The week in human impact

Read the week →

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How to read these numbers →

These are counts of stories, not counts of suffering. Most of what happens to people is never reported at all.